


Day 4 - Santa Baby

by buckbuckley



Series: 12 Days of Ficmas 2019 [4]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash, We love her, and carla saves the day, buck is just being a grump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:41:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21828391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckbuckley/pseuds/buckbuckley
Summary: Prompt christmas baby is sensitive about never being celebrated on their birthday/always feels skipped over
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Series: 12 Days of Ficmas 2019 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570153
Comments: 7
Kudos: 236





	Day 4 - Santa Baby

Buck was in a grumpy mood. Yes, he had to work Christmas, but that wasn’t the problem. He didn’t mind, since he and Maddie agreed to just celebrate a different day since she had a shift as well. He was more upset about working his birthday, and the fact that it seemed like everyone had forgotten, again. This seemed to happen every year. His birthday got overshadowed, and if anyone else remembered they celebrated like a week later. In an attempt to cheer himself up, he figured he would bake some cookies. It was a decent way to pass the time between calls, and he would at least get a snack out of it. While he was measuring out the flour, he felt his phone buzz. It was a text from Maddie.

[Maddie]: Come outside. I’ve got a present for you.

Buck knew better than to argue, and sent her a thumbs up before making his way down to the parking lot behind the station. He quickly located his sister, standing next to her car with a cupcake. She had even gone all out and lit a candle. 

“Happy 28th Buck.” She grinned and help the cupcake out towards her brother. He blew out the candle before taking it. 

“Thanks for this, you’re the first to remember so far. I really think everyone forgot again.” His voice was melancholic. “I mean if mom and dad couldn’t remember, then I can’t expect the station to.”

Maddie gave Buck a sympathetic look, and pulled him into a hug. “I’m sure they’re planning a big surprise for you this year, and they don’t want to ruin it.” Maddie knew she was lying, Chim would have told her about any plans. She was tempted to text him about it, but it felt wrong. She shouldn’t have to remind the station about Buck’s birthday. They were his friends, they should remember. “We’ll go out for drinks tomorrow, yeah? We can even go to that one bar you love that I’m pretty sure is a secret strip club.” 

“Yeah, I plan on being super hung over after, so hope you’re ready for that.” He joked. In all likelihood they would get like a single drink and then leave, complaining about whatever awful DJ was there that night. “I gotta get back to work, but be safe.” He gave his sister another quick hug before heading back into the station. He pulled the candle out of the cake, and stuck it in his pocket. He managed to stuff the whole cupcake in his mouth before making it back inside. He knew if he walked in with it, everyone was going to try and steal a bite. Having a family was great, except when they insisted on sharing. He went back to trying to make sugar cookies. The rest of the station seemed to just be milling around, all trying to find ways to stay entertained. He could hear Hen and Chim playing on one of the gaming consoles, Eddie was working out, and Cap was likely catching up on paperwork. Paperwork was probably the only thing stopping him from applying to be a Lieutenant. Way less responsibility as just a regular firefighter. 

Once the cookies were in the oven, he pulled out his phone. He hoped for texts from friends, but none had come through. He played some mindless game to pass the time, seeing as everyone had left him to his own devices. The timer startled him a little when it went off. He turned around to grab a spatula to pull the cookies off the hot tray. When he turned back, he had to use the spatula to slap a familiar hand away from taking one.

“I know your mother raised you better. They’re still hot.” He scolded Eddie. This happened everytime Buck baked. Eddie appeared out of nowhere and possibly burnt his hand based on how quick Buck was to smack him. Eddie rubbed his hand, a clearly guilty look on his face. His hair was still damp from the shower he rushed through. 

“Listen you can’t make cookies, have the whole station smell like them, and expect me not to come up here the second there done. Really it’s cruel of you.” Eddie slid into one of the stools as Buck finished moving the cookies to a plate.  
“You’re worse than Chirstopher. At least he knows they’ve got to cool down first.” Buck made sure to move the plate out of Eddie’s reach before he started moving the dirty dishes to the sink.

“Speaking of Christopher, you’re still coming over after work, right? He’s been so excited about giving you your present that I don’t think he can wait until tomorrow.” Eddie didn’t even know what the present was. He bought it with Carla one day, and both had been suspiciously quiet about whatever it was. 

“Can’t let the little man down. His present is in the back of my car.” He’d found the present a few weeks ago, and knew it was perfect as soon as he saw it. Eddie’s smaller present was wrapped next to it. It always felt weird giving other people presents on his birthday, but that’s just how it went. It wasn’t really that he celebrated him being born, it was more about celebrating when he finally escaped his parents 10 years before. It was a celebration of his rebirth, his chance at freedom.

The rest of the day passed fairly quickly. Only a few calls came in, mainly small fires coming from faulty Christmas lights. It was only a short 12 hour shift instead of their normal 24 hours ones so everyone could spend some time with their families. Buck followed Eddie back to his house, glad to be alone for a little bit. It gave him time to contemplate. Maybe he should start lying, and celebrate on his half birthday. June 25th seemed like it would be a date more people could actually remember. That was his new plan. Celebrate his real birthday in private, and let his friends think it was 6 months earlier. 

When they got to the Diaz household, he could see Christopher and Carla standing on the front step, waiting for them. The sight made Buck smile. He grabbed all the presents out of his car before going to greet them.

“Merry Christmas guys!” Buck used his spare arm to give Carla a hug, and ruffle Christopher’s hair. The three followed Eddie in, who already greeted everyone. Buck went to put his two gifts under the tree, and brought with him an envelope for Carla. He pulled some strings, and got her and Howard reservations to the new restaurant downtown. He heard her talking about it, and lamenting over the 12 month wait list. 

“Happy Birthday Buckaroo. How’s 28 treating you?” Carla asked him, holding out a small gift for Buck. She had made sure to specifically use birthday wrapping paper for it. She remembered him saying how annoying it was for birthday gifts to have Christmas paper. 

“So far, not much differently from 27. Maybe I’ll grow an extra inch this year, who knows.” Buck beamed that someone actually remembered his birthday that wasn’t his sister. Trust Carla to not forget. Buck tore open the paper to see a picture frame containing a photo of him, Eddie, and Christopher. Carla had clearly taken it at some point when none of them were looking. They looked like a family. He set it down on the counter, and pulled Carla into a hug. “Thank you for this, can’t wait to put it on the mantle.” 

“Maybe 28 will be the year you finally get your man.” Carla teased. She knew about his crush on Eddie. She spent enough time around the both of them to see. Not to mention the time Buck accidentally drunk called her to tell her how hot Eddie was, and how it was such a shame he was straight. She opened her card, and gasped. “Evan Buckley, you did not!” She gently hit his shoulder out of disbelief. “I don’t want to know how much you must have paid for this.”

Eddie picked that moment to come back in with Christopher, having brought all their own presents out. “Buck did what now?”

“He’s just a hopeless romantic over here. As much as I would love to stay here with you guys, I gotta go tell Howard about this.” They all said quick goodbyes, with Carla already on the phone on her way out. 

“I think that’s the fastest I’ve seen Carla leave all year.” Eddie did feel a little bad asking her to work on Christmas, but she had waved off his apologies. The rest of his family had gone to Texas, and he just couldn’t get off. 

“Well getting her into 71above does that.” Buck was just glad Carla loved it. 

“Dad, can we open presents now?” Christopher called out from the living room, already sorting out the gifts to find his. Both men laughed at his enthusiasm. They knew he had patiently been waiting all day for them to get off shift. 

“Yes we can mijo.” Eddie headed out of the kitchen, with Buck following behind him. They sat down on the couch, and Eddie pulled his phone out. He promised to record Christopher for the rest of his family. “Alright bud, you can start opening.” 

Christopher wasted no time, tearing the paper off as fast as he could. Almost everything he got was toys, except for the sweater that his aunt had knit him. Buck couldn’t hold himself back as Christopher opened his present. 

“Thank you Buck!” Christopher shouted after opening his gift. Buck had gotten him the lego firefighter kit, figuring that they could build it together at some point. Once he had opened all of his, Christopher came and sat on the couch between Eddie and Buck, waiting for them to open their presents. Buck opened the card that Chris made him, and pulled him into a hug as soon as he opened it up and saw that said happy birthday on it. He completely missed the upset look that crossed Eddie’s face. Eddie had forgotten his best friend’s birthday, and yet his son remembered. Some friend thing to do. He used the distraction of Christopher explaining the card to send a text to the group chat they had without Buck. It was usually used for keeping tally of how many times Buck did something he shouldn’t have, but this time it was for an emergency.

[Eddie]: Guys, we forgot Buck’s birthday. I’m going to keep him distracted for a bit, you guys come over then and we can say it was a surprise party. Someone bring cake.

Eddie glanced back up to see Buck had opened his present to him, and was laughing. Eddie didn’t understand what was so funny about a watch. He thought it was a nice once, and firefighters always needed a good one.

“Just open your gift.” Buck said between his giggles. Eddie was still confused until he opened it and realized they had somehow managed to get each other the exact same watch. 

“Well, at least now we can really be matching at work.” They were going to take so much teasing from the others from this, but it was a really nice watch. It would be worth it.

Buck pulled out one last card, and handed it to Eddie. “This gift is for both of you, but I think you dad should open it.” Christopher scooted closer to his dad, excited to see what it was. 

Eddie opened the card, and read the inside. “Buck, we can’t accept this.” Eddie tried to give the card back to Buck, but he refused to take it.

“You’ve been in California for over a year now, and yet you somehow still haven’t take Christopher to Disneyland. Really that’s a crime and I should call Athena. I figured it would be a fun thing for the three of us to do.” Buck started talking to Christopher about all the fun rides and food they would eat while they were there. Eddie knew how much it must have cost, and he didn’t even know how to thank Buck for it. It also just cemented the idea that they were a family, an unconventional one, but a family.  
Christopher and Buck had moved on to starting to build the lego set by the time Eddie could even think of the words to say. He figured he would just save the conversation for later, after Christopher went to bed. He got up, and went to start making dinner, suddenly having to account for more people. It was a good thing they were so focused on building the fire truck that they didn’t notice how much food he was making. Two trays of lasagna would have looked suspicious for three people. 

As he pulled the final pan out of the oven, there was a knock at the door. 

“Hey Buck, can you grab that?” Eddie called out, and heard the affirmative shout back. Eddie came out of the kitchen just in time to see the whole team outside, shouting surprise at Buck. They somehow even managed to get a happy birthday banner and balloons. 

Buck was beaming as he hugged each of them as they came inside. He was still pretty sure they had all forgotten, but they could at least celebrate now. As everyone shuffled in, taking all their layers off, Buck made his way to the kitchen to give Eddie a bone crushing.

“Thank you for doing all this. Last minute or not, thank you.” If the entire team wasn’t behind them, Buck might have kissed Eddie, but he restrained himself. Now wasn’t the time for accidental confessions to your best friend. Now was the time to celebrate his birthday with his family. He was going to enjoy it, and gently tease them about forgetting.

**Author's Note:**

> Well this one turned out longer than expected. Might write the boys going to Disneyland later, because we all know how cute that will be.


End file.
